Phonograph system and stylus therefor



jam, 3, 1950 WQF. SMITH 2,493,466

PHONOGRAPi-X SYSTEM AND STYLUS THEREFOR Filed July 10, 1946 [Min v /j4 AMP, 26

William F Jzm'ifi IINVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 3, i950 PHONOGRAPH sYs'rEMfANn s'ryLUs T O 1' William F. Smith,,North Hollywood, cent, assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware 7 Application July-'10, 1946, Serial No. 682,530

6 Claims. (Cl. 179-910(14) This invention relates to sound reproducing equipment, and particularly to the needle. or stylus construction of a disc phonograph.

In sound reproduction from disc records, many types of styli have been proposed and used. In some instances, the manufacturers of the needle recommend thatit be used for reproducing one record-only, while so-called permanent types of needles have been proposed, the latter being made of alloys providing particularly hard points. Some use sapphire points. It has been found. however, that such permanent types of styli are not completely satisfactory in that the hard points do chip and they have a tendency to unduly wear the grooves of the records. Thus, a softer pointed type of needle is preferred, particularly in the reproduction of records made of the softer materials, such as home recorded or instantaneous playback recordings. These soft needles, of course, wear rapidly and must be replaced, and if not replaced, they cause undue wear of the record grooves and distorted reproduction.

The present invention is directed to a needle or stylus construction which permits the needle to indicate when it is worn to the point where it should be replaced by a new one. This indication is in the form of a circuit break which discontinues the reproduction of the record being played.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the reproduction of sound from disc records.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of and means for determining when a needle or stylus should be replaced with a new one.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved needle or stylus construction for a phonograph reproducer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of and system for indicating the time when the needle of a sound pickup should be replaced.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a sound reproducer tone arm and disc record.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the needle or stylus of the invention and the circuit therefor, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are invention.

Referring to-the drawings, in which the same numerals refer to like elements, a phonograph turntable 5 is shown having a record 6 thereon. In the grooves of the record is a needle or stylus I positioned-in a pickup head 8 mounted on the end of a tone arm 9 pivoted on a support Ill. The pickup 8'may be either of the electro-magnetic type, in which vibrations of the needle I introduce a varying electro-motive force in a coil, or of the crystal type, in which voltage variations are produced on a pair of electrodes corresponding to the pressure applied to the crystal due to the vibrations of the needle.

In Fig. 2, the pickup coil or resistor is represented at H in the conductors I3 feeding the amplifier H, which, in turn, feeds a loudspeaker [5. Shown positioned between a fixed block or anvil l8 and a V-shaped vise jaw I9 adjustable by a threaded thumb nut 20 is the needle I of the invention. The shank end 22 of the needle is made rectangular, as shown in Fig. 3, so that it may be inserted in the soundhead 8 in either of two positions only, the shank being accommodated in the socket 23. The vise jaws l8 and I9 and the socket 23 are of non-conducting or insulating material.

The sides of the needle I are sprayed with a metallic material or electro-plated with such material as shown at 24 and 25, leaving a narrow gap on both sides thereof, as shown at 26 and 21. However, at the point 30, the metallic coating extends completely around the surface of the needle, the distance from the tip of the needle to the grooves 26 and 21 being in the neighborhood of .0005 inch. The body of the needle 1 is of non-conducting material so that the circuit through the pickup unit [2 is completed through the metallic coating on the sides of the needle at 24 and 25 and at the tip 30, contact being made with the metallic coating through the resilient brush contacts 32 and 33. In a magnetic pickup, the metallic coating induces the energy into the coil, while in a crystal pickup, the pressure variations caused by movement of the stylus induces the desired voltages.

In the operation of the above system, the needle 1 is inserted between the vise jaws l8 and I9 and in the socket in the plug 23. Due to the rectangular shape of the socket, the needle'will be positioned so that the gaps 26 and 21 in the metallic coating are positioned as shown in the end views of the needle of the I drawing and the brushes 32 and 33 make a conpickup circuit for said system including said coattact with respective coatings 24 and 25. This ings. completes the circuit to the amplifier l4 over 4. A phonograph system in accordance with conductors I3. Now, when the tip of the needle claim 3, in which means are provided for limit- 30 is worn down so that the tip is eliminated, and '5 ing said stylus to two positions in said pickup thus, the connecting metal break occurs beelement.

' tween the coatingsifliand 25; reproduction of 5Z.A-"phonogr'aph systeniL-for: indicating when theirecord ceases? Thepperator is then aware thmneedlethereof should bereplacedcomprising thatan entirely new needle should be substia pickup element, reproducing elements fed by tuted for the worn one. In this manner, the said pickup element, and a stylus having a pair of needles are used only during theia optimum spacedconduetivecoatings interconnected over. a length of life for the best reproduction andndt i f-pnedeterminedlength of the tip of said stylus, and

beyond the point where they cause damage to A t a pickup circuit for said system including said the'record grooves. U coatings;- 7

Iclaim: ;6: phonograph system in accordance with 1. A phonograph stylus comprising a non-con- V claimi5,'inwhich'one end of said stylus is rectanducting body portion and a coatingiof conductingr; zjgulazfiinshape -tolimit said stylus to either of two material extending along said body portion in two v operative positions.

sections, separated except at the tip of saidbbdy F. SMITH.

portion. 7 I v r g Y i .7 1

221-5:- honographzssiy lu i in i accordance with 1 EE ENCES? GIG BED r claim 1, in which one end of said body po'rtion is 'Tfie f fllowjfig fe r:' b e r 1 rc taifgulai's tocli'fn-it said 'styliistotwo operative fil pf this -y positions. V r V 3am: a fihbnogiaplii sys'tem--liaving -apickup 2a UNITED STATEST'PATENTS v eln'ientand'reproducing elementspthe;combina f Number} j f Nairne F Date tionidFa/ stylu'sfor detecting sound track'modula- 155113360 wme'r Y Oct-314, 1924 trons; said stylusf comprisinga hes-con uctive 2919x92 3: Miner-u" May7; 19465 

